Nan Shiying placed her hand on Du Lao’s wrist, and after a moment, a layer of anger colored her eyes.
"Old man, are you trying to kill yourself?"
He had actually used himself to test the medicine, and it was a Gu poison. He was already riddled with Gu poison, permeating his internal organs, and had only a few days to live. In such a state, he had actually ingested more Gu worms. The new Gu worms were directly devoured by his life-bound Gu, causing it to awaken and multiply. Nan Shiying finally understood why the old man had been hiding from her. His pulse indicated that he would die suddenly within half a month.
Nan Shiying’s eyes turned crimson, her gaze fierce and enraged. Du Lao withdrew his arm, picked up a teacup, and diligently poured her a cup of tea. This was his life. He should have died in the Miao border ancient village. He was already content to have lived this long. Before, he couldn't let go of unfortunate children like Gouzi and Ya Dan. Now, he still couldn't let go of them. As for his cheap disciple, she possessed exceptional talent and a noble status, and should have been the one he worried about the most, yet she was the one who made him feel most at ease.
"It's nothing, really!"
Du Lao said with composure, his serene brow revealing a detachment from life and death. "I've found you, my successor, and entrusted Gouzi and the others to you. I have no regrets!"
Nan Shiying stared intently at Du Lao, took the tea from his hand, and thought, *Nonsense! If there was a way to live, a hope of survival, who would desperately seek death?*
"After the New Year, I will go to Yaowang Valley!"
Nan Shiying gulped down the tea and said to Du Lao after putting down the cup. Seeing the change in Du Lao's expression, she continued, "I suspect there is more to my master's death."
"Crack~"
Du Lao felt a crack appear in the thick wall of 'resignation' that surrounded his heart. He raised his head and saw her with an air of knowing everything. He let out a heavy sigh.
How could he have taken such a rascal as a disciple, preventing him from dying even if he wanted to!
"Come, heal me!"
He extended his hand, seeking treatment.
Nan Shiying took out her acupuncture kit, spread it on the table, and picked up a long needle, inserting it directly into Du Lao’s Baihui acupoint. It was quick, accurate, and fierce. Anyone who didn't know would think she was unleashing her ferocity and attempting to kill her master.
The Gu worms in Du Lao's body were too active. Nan Shiying decided to temporarily set aside her research on the snake shadow's blood and force-feed the old man the bottle of blood she had brought.
Originally, if he hadn't courted disaster, she had planned to extract the Gu worms attached to his spine before heading to Yaowang Valley after the New Year. However, the Gu worms had become active and were now flowing throughout his body. She needed to suppress their activity before considering extraction.
After the acupuncture, Nan Shiying asked the shopkeeper to prepare a medicinal decoction. She had intended for Gouzi to simmer it but found that Gouzi had already frothed at the mouth and fainted.
Du Lao tossed Nan Shiying a bottle of antidote. Nan Shiying lifted Gouzi's neck and forced the pill into his mouth. The medicine took effect, and the poison was neutralized.
Aside from a slightly pale complexion, Gouzi suffered no damage. Oh, wait, there was damage. His spirit had been severely wounded.
Ya Dan helped Gouzi to simmer the medicine, and only then did Du Lao inquire why Nan Shiying suspected his master's death was not as it seemed.
"A hunch!"
Nan Shiying replied while sipping her tea. Du Lao choked, highly suspecting she was just being perfunctory.
A hunch, you damned immortal!
"Here, have some fruit!"
Nan Shiying ignored Du Lao’s angry gaze, pushed the fruit on the table towards him, and took away the wine and meat she had brought: "For a while, you must abstain from alcohol and meat."
Du Lao: "..."
Insolent disciple!